Beauty As Art: The Best 2026 Met Gala Glam

When you think of the Met Gala, fashion is likely the first thing that comes to mind. But no look would be complete without the hairstylists and makeup artists behind the glam that ties everything together. This year's theme, "Costume Art" and the dress code "Fashion As Art," call for some dramatic glam: makeup that has us mesmerized, hairstyles that we would've never considered, and nails that make statement on their own. Whether it's subtle, clean girl makeup that allows the clothes to shine or intense smoky eyes, dramatic lips, and face gems that, while paired with the clothes, tells a story and creates a character, these are the 2026 Met Gala beauty looks that stood out to us.

Hunter Schafer's soft, ultra feminine glam was inspired by a painting of Mäda Primavesi by Gustav Klimt. "I drew inspiration from the way he painted her: stoic, elegantly defiant in stance, but still playful and innocent," makeup artist Sandy Ganzer said. Ganzer used a combination of soft floral tones and pink lipstick, all from Prada Beauty. Her hair, by Rena Calhoun, was effortlessly smooth without being overly polished.

Anok Yai's prosthetic hair and overall glam by Sheika Daley was golden and bronzey, but the star of the show was certainly the perfectly placed tear streams fixated on her cheeks.

Audrey Nuna's hair by Akihisa Yamaguchi was pulled back to let the glam to the talking. Her overall glam by Ashley Ysabelle was subtle and clean with a fully black lip tying the look together. We're particularly obsessed with the single, overly extended cat eye, though.

Chase Infiniti's Met Gala glam was bronzey and sunkissed—as if she had just returned from the south of France or something. "I wanted to create a look with lush skin that breathes with a sunlit glow and lightly veiled in soft bronze," makeup artist Amber Dreadon said. "I wanted eyes to act like jewelry, brushed with painted molten metallics that move and reflect in the light." The outer corners of her eyelids were glimmering with Armani Beauty's rose gold shimmer eyeshadow, her hair by Coree Moreno was perfectly voluminous, and we have no notes.

For her Met Gala debut, Ejae's hair was in a distinct updo and her skin was notably radiant. What really stands out and completes her look, though, is her intense and dramatic smokey eye courtesy of makeup artist Min Kim. For her base, her skin was glowing courtesy of the SkinCeuticals C E FerulicEx.

The power of Suki Waterhouse's flushed cheeks and shimmery eyelids simply cannot be denied. "I wanted Suki Waterhouse to embody a modern goddess, radiant, effortless, and luminous,” makeup artist Cedric Jolive said. With the help of Armani beauty products and silky hair by Jacob Rozenberg, Waterhouse's completed glam was angelic.

We already had a good feeling that 2026 marked the return of the side-part—but Chase Sui Wonder's Met Gala hairdo by is expanding our minds. Her perfectly slicked side-part bun also features two shiny, separated pieces of hair swept across her forehead. As for glam, her full face ILIA Beauty by Shayna Goldberg was subtle and glowy, with a soft beige lip.

Emma Chamberlain's Met Gala glam by makeup artist Lilly Keys is all about the details: the shimmery gold in the inner corners and the smoky, sleepy girl eyeshadow around her eyes, courtesy of Makeup By Mario, the lived in bleached brows, the moody lip, and her perfectly (yet slightly disheveled) pixie cut styled by Sami Knight.

Lisa looked ethereal in silver and white, with perfectly placed wisps of hair along her forehead styled by , billowy lashes, chrome eyeshadows, and face gems that completed the look.

Kylie Jenner's glam by Makeup By Ariel is always great—that's essentially her brand. But what makes this look a standout is the debut of her bleached eyebrows and the single swooped strand of hair on her forehead styled by Iggy Rosales-Jackson.

To the naked eye, Adut Akech Bior's beauty look might seem pared back with her glowy skin doing a lot of the heavy lifting. "Adut Akech’s look is really about clean, natural skin," makeup artist Keita Moore said. "Everything’s kept light—just enough coverage to even things out, a bit of warmth, and soft definition." But the rich berry blush, especially when the light catches it, truly makes this a standout look.

As a slight nod to the 1960s's, Rachel Sennott's glam by Lily Keys included hazey lilac eyeshadow, smudged eyeliner, and piecey lashes—all courtesy of Marc Jacobs Beauty.

There are so many good details to unpack here. Let's start with the hair: inspired by sculptures and statues, hairstylist Yusef Williams used Wavytalk to create a radiant finish and somewhat of a wet look. Her makeup by Esther Edeme was glowy and complete with a distinct cat eye and a few face gems for added sparkle. Her body was glittery and shimmery, completing an ethereal look.

Paloma Elsesser's hair, styled by Emilie Bromley, was perfectly tousled and effortless, but her chrome diamond encrusted ear by makeup artist Michaela Bosch was the defining element of her overall look.